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New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market

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slackinfux
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
I think a small turbo would be a better proposition here than a 1.8. You'd still get the frugality of a 1.5 with boost for extra power when you need to get on the freeway. No sense in getting crazy, something like 5-7 lbs of boost would do the trick just fine.
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MushyHeirloom
01/07/09

@slackinfux: Turbos are fun. Toyota hates fun.
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Jim-Bob
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
New Prius: Now with 50% more ugly! I used to think it couldn't look worse, but Toyota has done it again. the managed to make it both uglier AND less fuel efficient. How DO they do it? Am I the only one who thinks it's funny that the first hybrid car sold in the US (original Honda Insight) has yet to be topped in fuel economy? Subsequent models have all been less efficient and more pointless.
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MushyHeirloom
01/07/09

@Jim-Bob: Same way they did it to the xB... and Tacoma...
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friendlynerd
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
Umm...really? Cause I thought they couldn't keep a Prius on a lot. That wouldn't indicate to me that Americans have any issues with the powertrain.

Perhaps Americans buy bigger engines because that's all we're offered?
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
01/07/09

@friendlynerd: Pretty much-- car companies assume that we all want bigger engines, so that's all we have to choose from.

Nowadays, a car is derided as "slow" if it only does 0-60 in 8 seconds. Hardly anyone actually drives that fast, ever. Most people could tool around in an old non-turbo diesel Benz, and not drive any slower than they do now.
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MushyHeirloom
01/07/09

@TV's Paul Y.: They'd probably be pedal-to-the-floor, though, so their mileage might not significantly improve.
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friendlynerd
01/07/09

@TV's Paul Y.:

Exactly. I was surprised to see the slug-slow 0-60 numbers on my Protege 5, because it feels faster than 11.x seconds. I apparently don't need a fire-breather to be happy.
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MushyHeirloom
01/07/09

@friendlynerd: Same story with my Volvo 244, though only because it's more like driving a small truck.
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Charles_Barrett - Now with Variable-Valve Timing
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
Maybe the larger engine is perceived as enough of a change to encourage existing Prius owners to "trade up" to the "new and improved for 2010" model.

Look at MBZ's displacement creep over the last decade or so:

300 -> 320 -> 350

400 -> 420 -> 430 -> 500 -> 550

And that's just the US spec E-Class. I assumed it was an attempt to sell me a newer model than the one in my garage...
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Six Flags Over Tomsk
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
If this is true, and the 1.5L won't be offered as well, then we'll know for sure that Toyota is indeed the new GM.
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avarno
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
The Yaris seems to be the only 1.5 engines in their lineup. It could be they're phasing out the 1.5 or found it was cheaper or easier to build more 1.8s as the Corolla uses them. Maybe the 1.5 is imported and it was easier to put the 1.8 in?

Maybe the Yaris is going 1.8 too, but they don't want to waste the effort to talk about it.
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
01/07/09

@avarno: I believe all of the 1.5L Toyotas sold in the US are built in Japan, so it's not an issue with regard to importing engines.

It's the same reason that the 2nd gen xB is a bloated big-head caricature of the early xB/bB-- Marketing Geniuses who assume that more engine (and weight, and size, and content) = more good for Americans.
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MushyHeirloom
01/07/09

@TV's Paul Y.: Same reason the new xB doesn't seem to be selling - because Toyota hasn't got a clue anymore.
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Joshuman
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
Where else is this Toyota engine used? Perhaps they are looking at another cost saving measure by only certifying one engine, the 1.8, rather than two for use in the United States.
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MushyHeirloom
01/07/09

@joshman - chasing that star: Is this the same 1.5 in the Yaris?

Anyway, it seems to me that they'd have to certify it separately anyway, given the electric bits.
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Braff
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
Hey there boy... that thing got a Hybrid-HEMI?
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MushyHeirloom
01/07/09

@Ω ß®ªғғ: They killed the Hemi Durango.
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
If you want power, DON'T BUY A PRIUS. Jesus christ, people.
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Plecostomus [Tyrrell]
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
Yes. Yes. Because when I think PRIUS, the first thing I think of is "I want a big, thirsty engine."

uhhhhhhhhhhhhh. No.

1.5L FOR THE FUCKING WIN.
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Elhigh
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
Old-school economy:

136mpg at a steady 30mph. Granted you don't get anywhere fast, but if you're out of money and have plenty of time, $5 gets you pretty darned far.

Plus it looks just awesome.
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Plecostomus [Tyrrell]
01/07/09

@Elhigh: Post your pic again, but this time don't close the HTML tag. Click the preview comment button.

Were you by chance going to post a Honda Cub or something?
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Elhigh
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
I'm a damned American and I want the little engine! Toyota, are you listening?

If they must sell it with the big engine, can they make that an option? All I ever use my Forester for is commuting, it's got 100hp that I never use and am hardly aware I even have. Except at the pump.

GIVE ME THE LITTLE ENGINE.
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al_beaton
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
Here in jolly Yurp VW's Polo BlueMotion has CO2 emissions of 99 g/km and the Ford Fiesta Econetic 98 g/km, versus 104g/km for the current Prius 1.5 VVTi.

Both the VW and the Ford manage this with conventional drivetrains - less cost, complication and energy to manufacture.

Looking forward to the new ad campaign:

"Toyota - Applying last year's technology to tomorrow's problems."
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Jason Daniel
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
Lots of European cars carry all those airbags and safety shite and do fine with double-digit horsepower. But I agree cars need a diet. It won't be a popular idea, but I think crash safety standards need to either be frozen or rolled back. Either that, or the gov't needs to start subsidizing the aluminum, titanium and carbon fibre industries rather than coal and oil industries.
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HurtsSoGood
01/07/09

@Jason Daniel: You can also blame Consumer Reports for this. If you were to build a 90 HP econobox (which would have qualified as a sport model 20 years ago) and have it evaluated by the people in White Plains, I guarantee it will get a crap rating. Why? Because performance and other nitnoid considerations are weighted at least as highly as fuel economy and reliability. "It's too sluggish!" "The engine makes too much noise!" "There aren't enough cupholders!" "The back seat is too small for our 6'2" testers!" "The doors sound tinny when you close them!" You will get crucified for trying to sell a car like that.
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dwegmull comments for the purpose of obscurity
01/07/09

In reply to New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market
I guess the truly dedicated North American hyper miler will have to import a 1.5L engine from Europe and swap out the 1.8L, while looking the other way regarding the amount of fuel used by the ship and trucks used for said shipment...
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